Lamp with adjustable shade sections



R. c. SMITH 3,035,166

LAMP WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADE SECTIONS May 15, 1962 Filed May 6. 1960 5Sheets-Sheet 1 l il 25 23 W1 29 H /9 II I I in INVENTOR. /F.C.5M/TH May15, 1962 R. c. SMITH LAMP WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADE SECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed May 6, 1960 INVENTOR. R0. 544 TH 9 y 1962 R. c. SMITH 3,035,166

LAMP WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADE SECTIONS Filed May 6. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3Z 71 [ii I: I 54 5+ 52 -|9 H IN V EN TOR.

RCSM/TH United States Patent 3,035,166 LAIVIP WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADESECTIONS Robert C. Smith, 1422 E. 22nd Ave., Denver, Colo. Filed May 6,1960, Ser. No. 27,380 7 Claims. (Cl. 240-81) This invention relates to alamp of extremely simple construction the shade of which is providedwith a plurality of adjustable shade sections selectively movable todifferent positions relative to the light source of the lamp for varyingthe amount of light rays emitted and for causing the light rays to beemitted through selected parts of the lamp shade and in desireddirections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp including a lampshade having a rigid stationary part supporting the adjustable sectionsof the lamp shade and which stationary lamp shade part is provided withopenings or windows through which light rays from the light source areemitted in certain adjusted positions of the movable lamp shadesections.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lamp embodying theaforementioned features which may be constructed in various sizes andshapes and from various materials, and which may be very economicallymanufactured and sold.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one form of the lamp;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 6--6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along a plane asindicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of another form of the lamp;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof,taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 9-9 of FIGURE8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View, taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 1010 of FIGURE 8, and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 11--11 of FIGURE10.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and first with reference toFIGURES l to 7, the lamp as disclosed therein in its entirety isdesignated generally 12 and includes a lamp base 13 having an upstandingpedestal portion 14 provided with an upwardly opening socket 15 forreceiving a light bulb 16, constituting the light source of the lamp 12.The base 13 may be of any desired size and shape and is provided withelectric wiring 17 which may lead from any conventional electricaloutlet and is connected to the lamp socket 15 to provide current for thebulb 16. Any form of conventional switch 18 may be provided in the base13 and interposed in the wiring 17 for making and breaking the electriccircuit to the lamp bulb.

A plurality, preferably four rigid bars 19 have lower ends embedded inthe upper end of the pedestal 14, around and spaced outwardly from thesocket 15. The supporting bars 19 extend upwardly from the pedestal 14in diverging relation to one another and have upper portions disposedwithin a lamp shade, designated generally 20. The lamp shade 20 may beof any size and shape and includes a stationary substantially rigidsection, designated generally 21. The section 21 is shown as beingsubstantially cylindrical in shape but may be of various other shapesand is provided with an open bottom 22 through which the supports 19extend. Fastenings 23 extend inwardly through the shade section 21 andthreadedly engaged through substantially upright upper portions 24 ofthe supports 19 for supporting the shade section 21 above the base 13and above the light source 16.

In the embodiment as disclosed in FIGURES 1 to 7, the stationary shadesection or drum 21 is provided adjacent its upper end 25 with fourcorresponding circumferentially spaced openings 26 over each of which isdisposed a pzme 27 which may be formed of any suitable coloredtranslucent material to form a window. The windows 27 are disposedslightly above the fastenings 23 and the upper support ends 24 and saidsupport ends and fastenings align with portions of the shade section 21disposed between the windows 27, as best seen in FIG- URE 4. The lowerpart of the shade section 21 has four circumferentially spacedlongitudinally extending slots 28 which align with the centers of thewindows 27 and are disposed approximately midway between the supports19. The shade 20 includes four movable shade sections 29 of arcuatecross section and which are of a length slightly less than the length ofthe startionary shade section 21, as best seen in FIGURE 3. Each of thefour movable shade sections 29 has a nut 30 rigidly secured to andprojecting from the concave inner side thereof and which is disposednearer the lower end than the upper end of the shade section. Each shadesection 29 has an opening 31 aligning with the bore of the nut-3t Themovable shade sections 29 are disposed against the inner surface of theshade section 21 with the openings 31 thereof aligning with the slots28. Knobs 32 are disposed externally of the shade section 21 and havethreaded stems 33 extending loosely through the slots 28 and openings 31and threadedly engaging in the nuts 30. The stems 33 are tightenedsufficiently in the nuts 39 so that the knobs 32 will bear against thestationary shade section 21 on opposite sides of the slots 28 thereof tofrictionally retain the movable shade sections 29 in different adjustedpositions relative to the shade section 21, as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3.Each movable shade section 29 has a pin or stud 34 fixed to andprojecting outwardly therefrom, above and in longitudinal alignment withits opening 31, and adjacent said opening, for slidably engaging theslot 28 above the stem 33, to prevent turning or twisting of the shadesection 29* within the shade section 21. The lower portions of the shadesections 29 are of a width slightly greater than a quarter of a circleso that the side edge portions 35 thereof overlap one another, as bestseen in FIGURE 5. However, the

or upper portions of the shade sections 29 are of a width slightly lessthan a quarter of a circle so that there will be a gap between the upperedge portions 36 of the adjacent shade sections 29 to accommodate thesupport portions 24 which are disposed above the overlapping edgeportions 35, when the shade sections 219 are in fully raised positions.

The upper end 25 of the rim'd shade section 21 is preferably closed bytwo semicircular closure members 37 having adjacently disposed straightedge portions 38 which are clamped around shafts 39. The shafts 39' haveportions disposed beyond the sleeve portions 38 which extend through andare journaled in the upper part of the shade section 21. Each shaft 39has a knob 40 fixed to an outwardly projecting end thereof and by whichthe shafts can be individually turned for individually swinging theclosures 37 from fully closed positions, as seen in FIGURE 1, upwardlyto open positions. Pins 41, forming stops, may project inwardly fromupper portions of the shade section 21, as seen in FIGURE 3, to limitdownward swinging movement of the closures 3 7.

With the slidable shade sections 29 all disposed in fully raisedpositions within the stationary shade section 21, and with the closures3-7 closed, light rays from the light source 16 will be emitted directlyfrom the lamp 12 below the shade 20, and no light rays will be emittedthrough said shade. One or more of the shade sections 29 may be lowered,as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, so that light rays will be emittedbetween the lowered shade sections 29 and below the stationary section21, only in a desired direction or directions. Certain of the light rayswill then also be emitted through the colored windows 27 which areexposed by the lowered shade "sections 29, as seen in FIGURE 3. A partof the light rays from the light source 16 can also be emitted throughthe top 25 of the shade 20 when one or both of the closures 37 is in anopen position, and said closures may have reflective surfaces forreflecting the light rays emitted through the open top of the shade andalso for reflecting light rays therefrom through the exposed windows 27,when the closures 37 are in closed positions. By moving all of the shadesections 29 to lowermost positions, the light source 16 will becompletely surrounded by the shade sections '29 so that no light rayswill be emitted below the lamp shade 20 and a subdued light will beprovided by the colored light rays emitted through the windows 27, oradditional illumination can be provided by opening the closures 37 foremitting a part of the light rays through the open top 25. The slidableshade sections 29 are preferably made opaque but could be translucentand colored so as to emit a subdued light therethrough when in loweredpositions. The shade sections 29' and the shade section 21 may be formedof any suitable materials and a greater or lesser number of slidableshade sections 29 may be provided.

FIGURES 8 to 11 illustrate another form of the lamp, designatedgenerally 42, including a lamp shade 43 having a stationary outersection 44 and a plurality of movable inner sections 45. The lower endof the stationary outer section 44 may be disposed around or suitablysecured to the bottom portion of the lamp base 46, which may be of anydesired size and shape. The outer section 44 has openings 47 and coloredwindows 48, similar to the openings 26 and windows 27, respectively,except that the openings 47 and windows 48 are located adjacent thelower end of the light shade section 44 and around the light source 49which is supported by and rises from the base 46. p

The upper part of the outer shade section 44 has vertically elongatedslots 50 which align with intermediate portions of the windows 48. Themovable shade sections 45 are arcuately bowed to fit against the innerside of the stationary shade sect-ion 44 and are each of a width lessthan a quarter of a circle to provide spaces between the adjacentlongitudinal edges of the movable shade sections 45, as seen in FIGURE11. The shade sections 45 each carries a nut 51 which is engaged by athreaded stem 53 of a knob 52 and which parts have the same relationshipto one another and to the slot 50 as the nut 30, stem 33 and knob 32.Each shade section 45 is also provided with a pin 54, corresponding tothe pin 34 and for the same purpose.

The lamp 42 may also be provided with upright supporting members 55which are secured to and rise from the base 46 and which engage theinner side of the station ary shade section 44, between the openings 47and the slidable shade sections 45 and which are secured to said shadesection 44 by fastenings 56. The upper end of the shade section 44 maybe closed by a closure 57.

The materials of the shade 43 correspond with the materials of the shade20. The slidable shade sections 45 are shorter than the shade sections29, in relationship to the height of the shade section 44, and when inraised positions are disposed above the openings 47 and may be loweredto completely cover said openings. If the shade sections 45 are formedof an opaque material,- light rays will be completely excluded frompassing outwardly through the windows 48 covered by the shade sections45. Light rays will be emitted through the windows 48 when the shadesections thereof are raised, and in this manner the light rays can bedirected in any desired direction. If desired, the windows 48 can bemade clear and the shade sections 45 formed of a colored translucentmaterial for emitting either colored light rays or unobstructed lightrays as desired and selectively through the windows 48.

Thes lamp 42 may 'aIso be made in various sizes and shapes.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to, without departing from the function or scope of theinvention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

-I claim as my invention:

1. A lamp comprising a base, a light source supported by said base, alamp shade supported by the base, said lamp shade including a stationaryshade section and a plurality of movable shade sections, meansconnecting the movable shade sections to the stationary shade sectionand adjustably supporting the movable shade sections on the stationaryshade section in different vertical position-s relative thereto and tothe light source, said movable shade sections in lowered positionsthereof being disposed around the light source to obstruct the lightrays emitted from the light source, and said movable shade sectionsbeing disposed above the light source, in a fully raised positionthereof, whereby the light rays may be emitted from said light sourcebeneath the movable shade sections. 2. A lamp as in claim 1, saidstationary lamp shade section being disposed above the level of thelight source and having windows in the upper part thereof, saidmovableshade Sections closing said windows in the raised positions of themovable shade sections and being disposed below the windows in thelowered positions of said movable shade sections.

3. A lamp as in claim 2, said stationary shade section having manuallyadjustable closure means for closing or opening the upper end of thelamp shade.

4. A lamp as in claim 1, said stationary shade section having a lowerportion provided with windows surroundingsaid light source and throughwhich the light rays from the light source are emitted when said movableshade sections are in raised positions within the stationary shadesection and above said windows, said movable shade sections covering thewindows in the lowered positions thereof.

5. A lamp shade comprising, in combination with a lamp base and a lightsource supported by the base; a lamp shade including a stationarysection and a movable section, means connecting the stationary sectionimmovably to the base for supporting the lamp shade on said base,manually actuated means slidably connecting and adjustably securing themovable shade section to the stationary shade section, said movableshade section having a lower portion providing a light excluding shieldsubstantially surrounding the light source, in one position of themovable section, and said movable section being disposed above the lightsource in another position thereof to permit the light rays to beemitted from the light source below said movable shade section.

6. A lamp shade as in claim 5, said movable shade section comprising aplurality of individual shade elements each selectively movable relativeto the stationary shade section.

7. A lamp shade as in claim 6, said shade elements 6 being mountedinternally of the stationary shade section, and said manually actuatedmeans including parts individual to said shade elements and disposedexternally of the stationary shade section to be manually engaged forraising and lowering the shade elements relative to the light source.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,335,640 Beales Mar. 30, 1920 2,638,533 Zobran May 12, 1953 2,683,801Faselt July 13, 1954 2,767,308 Newman Oct. 16, 1956 2,841,697 Smith July1, 1958

